ISLAMABAD: Federal Ombudsperson for Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace (FOSPAH) has declared that any policy or practice denying residential accommodation to single men or women is illegal, discriminatory and void ab initio, having no basis in Pakistan’s tenancy laws or constitutional framework.

The ruling arose from a complaint filed by Sana Humayun Khan, a working woman employed with a national media organisation, who allegedly sustained harassment, coercive conduct, and discriminatory pressure by the management of a private residential building in Islamabad. Despite residing peacefully with her sister and complying with tenancy terms, she was repeatedly targeted on the pretext that “bachelors cannot live here”.

FOSPAH took serious notice of allegations that electricity and water were disconnected as coercive measures to force eviction, and that informal, unwritten “policies” rooted in gender stereotypes were being enforced without lawful authority. While the individual grievance was resolved following assurances by the management, FOSPAH deemed it essential to address the systemic discrimination faced by working women and unmarried professionals across urban Pakistan.

In a strongly worded observation, FOSPAH held that marital status or gender-based bachelorhood is not a lawful ground to deny residence, warning that such practices violate fundamental principles of equality, dignity, and freedom of residence. The forum emphasised that mobility is a necessity, not a privilege, particularly for women whose employment opportunities are concentrated in major cities.

Significantly, FOSPAH recognised that housing insecurity can directly impact women’s working lives, noting that discriminatory residential practices, when enforced through intimidation or misuse of authority, may fall within the scrutiny of the Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act, 2010.

“No tenancy agreement, housing regulation, or governing statute in Pakistan recognises marital status or gender-based bachelorhood as a lawful ground to deny residence. Any such restriction, whether written or unwritten, is manifestly arbitrary, discriminatory, and void from its inception,” the forum observed.

The observations have been directed to federal and provincial authorities, rent controllers, housing regulators, local governments, and housing-sector stakeholders, calling for immediate policy alignment and compliance. Informal practices masquerading as “policy”, FOSPAH cautioned, cannot override constitutional guarantees.

Published in Dawn, February 5th, 2026